The Queen Has Lost Her Crown Today
by SeducedbyFire
Summary: Sooner or later in life, we will all take our own turn being in the position we once had someone else in. Oneshot. AzulaxTy Lee.


Azula doesn't say thank you, and Ty Lee doesn't expect her to.

They are in a situation they dislike, but Azula has no choice. She is on the run, and she only has one person she knew she had the slightest chance of charming into helping her. There are things Azula is seeking that she values more than her mother, but she doesn't have people she can force to help her.

She likely cannot even force Ty Lee, but at least she can have this.

"This isn't romantic, or..." Ty Lee licks her lips and decides not to say more. No more must be said; Azula has what she wants and this can end quietly and calmly. Ty Lee has independence, yes, but that independence does not require dominance. She can use it to be the better person.

"You couldn't live with the guilt if you didn't. I know," Azula says snidely and coldly as she finishes examining every corner of the Republic City apartment. Her nose is upturned and Ty Lee tries to remain collected about it.

Ty Lee sits down and waits for Azula to finish examining everything with an almost admirable thoroughness. Ty Lee considers making tea or offering to show her around instead, but she thinks those gestures would be interpreted as some kind of acts of war, and so she waits, and watches, trying to read Azula's intentions.

At last, the princess _does_ decide that the apartment is satisfactory, and she sits down across from Ty Lee.

Azula _does_ find the safehouse good, on the surface, at least. The princess was wary, reasonably uncertain about Ty Lee's intentions, but she now sees that some things never do change. She waits for the door to close and sees that Ty Lee has a healthy enough dose of mistrust within her. The furniture is not perfect, but it will do for Azula's purposes.

"And you can't tell me why you won't just go home?" Ty Lee asks again. It is getting grating, but Azula takes a deep breath in through her mouth and reminds herself how much she needs this. "I'm happy to lend you this place. Whatever you're doing or looking for, I guess."

Azula called upon Ty Lee and it wasn't _unwelcome_. But it wasn't _welcome_ either. But Ty Lee couldn't say no, maybe out of desperation or confusion. Probably out of guilt. She didn't ask for much, just for somewhere to stay while she was doing _something_ and Ty Lee knew it was not something _good_ most likely, but while she knew, or at least thought, that she was stronger now, she agreed.

Lending Azula this place made some kind of senseless, foolish sense. Although, she does know that she could bargain. She _does_ know that she has the ability to ask for any price. Yet, Azula still owns her somehow, despite all of these years.

"Well, you know me and know that I will not forget this favor when it matters," Azula says so assuredly and Ty Lee thinks that she _believes herself._ It is disgusting, even if Ty Lee keeps her ambiguous smile on.

The truth is, Azula is anxious about this non-exchange, and has been since Ty Lee showed up at the place they agreed to meet. It feels wrong. Azula has not found a motive, and she hates the fact that she needs this so much, that she needs something from someone else so desperately.

When Ty Lee has the power and maybe doesn't realize it now, but definitely will eventually.

Azula isn't arrogant enough to believe in anyone's loyalty anymore.

"I know you," Ty Lee says after thinking for a couple of seconds and Azula dislikes the unwavering confidence in her voice. It just makes the princess more worried about the upper hand that Ty Lee has. "And I know you don't trust people who don't get anything out of what they do."

Azula nods, now beginning to think. "Well, yes, and charity never has to do with being _charitable_. No one wants to be selfless without praise. But guilt is a motivation difficult to rival."

"I feel a little less guilty now that I actually talk to you." And again, Azula can tell she has lost some of her grip. A few of her claws have been pried from their tight grip around Ty Lee, and it displeases her.

"Well, perhaps I can give you a motive to rival guilt," Azula suggests without letting Ty Lee's attention drift.

Ty Lee is still watching her, uncertain, her heart pounding. Her palms her sweaty and her fingers twitch slightly with the knowledge she might have to fight. But the princess, of course, decides to do something more unpredictable than try to kill Ty Lee with lightning.

 _Of course_.

Because that little smile is evil. Because Ty Lee knows she is evil for expecting this. Because Ty Lee came alone because of this and she knows it already. Because Azula is right, even if for once she isn't sure if she is.

The lust is still there. In their bones. Deeper than that.

Azula moves closer to her, pushing the limit. Maybe they are still about to fight. That would be reasonable, that would make Ty Lee feel less like... _this_. Ty Lee touches her waist slowly and with the remaining hope that she is misreading lust for violence. But Azula has forced herself onto her lap as their lips brush against each other. That feels strange, stranger than the kisses on other stretches of exposed skin.

Ty Lee slides down Azula's sleeves, and she tries to continue questioning Azula's intentions as the princess lets it happen with a sparkle in her eyes. Her hands stray to the princess's small, flawless round breasts. Azula allows it with a blissful and smug expression that is enough to make anybody uneasy. It pleases her that she is so irresistible, and it relieves her that this is beyond enough to assure her safety. Ty Lee runs her tongue along Azula's clavicle to the response of melodic moans. Azula touches Ty Lee's neck with hesitant fingers before forcibly drawing her into a kiss.

Azula begins to push Ty Lee back as the kiss breaks, but the acrobat tests the limits of this new, brave encounter, by holding her in place. The princess does snap, seeming heated in a more violent way, but she bends like Ty Lee bent to her and, while the acrobat should not like that, she _does_.

Ty Lee does know it's wrong, but it is _not_ too much to ask for to have a few moments of power as she Ty Lee caresses her body and wants to dig in her nails and never let go.

She touches her fingers to Azula's hips and they hips grind against the acrobat, making her breath catch with how wrong and backwards this feels. Yet how good it feels. It makes so little sense as she finds herself wet and throbbing and sliding down. Azula look vaguely detached as the motion of her hips slows and Ty Lee pushes her down, on top of her.

This is new. This is what they should fear much more than what is outside of the walls.

But Ty Lee kind of likes this new, and Azula might too. At first her lips are open, and Ty Lee begins to feel nauseated as she kisses her because there is not an evident point when she becomes very _okay_ with the fact that things are so reversed.

"Do you like this?" Ty Lee whispers, and then she wonders why she so does not want to relinquish control.

Azula's response is rather unclear and Ty Lee pulls back, just straddling her.

The heat and silence is more uncomfortable than Azula was with the confidence and loss of control.

"Just come back here and touch me." And Azula grabs Ty Lee by the arm, and surrenders.

The fumbling is to the point that Ty Lee stops thinking too much, not that she ever was. If she _was_ thinking she would not have her lips so close to the breasts of a war criminal. They are leaning back again, Azula slipping on Ty Lee.

Ty Lee welcomes it, digging her nails into Azula's back and pressing their bodies together. She burns in the night like a supernova and Ty Lee wants to burn to ashes with her. It is so wrong, so sick. But she cannot help herself as she wraps a leg around Azula's waist.

Azula's lips touch her neck. Ty Lee bites Azula's lip and then there is the last, one moment of change.

Because just with the tip of her toe, Ty Lee pushes her down, down onto her knees.

And the queen has lost her crown today.


End file.
